21 Questions with Walter M. Bortz, M.D.

1. The book did well in its first printing; why re-issue it now? What is the increased relevance of this book for today’s audience?
2. What is “new and revised” about this edition? Why did you revise what you did? (i.e., aging and sexuality)
3. How important to continued health is something as simple as sleep?
4. There is a chapter in your book titled “The Failure of Medicine;” what does that mean? What is that failure?
5. You’ve already said that people are currently living longer than ever before, and that the crop of centenarians is growing; why, then do we even need this book?
6. You say that part of the issue is our approach to aging; what do you mean by that?
7. Who is going to benefit from this book? Aging isn’t something most people think about until it is upon them. Conversely, for the aged, it’s already too late, isn’t it?
8. What is “active geriatrics”?
9. Is this about preventing or arresting the aging process? Haven’t there been volumes and volumes on this topic – volumes that have proven to be so much snake oil?
10. What do you mean by “the gift of found lifetime”?
11. I realize that you emphasize the importance of attitude and activity (self-efficacy; remaining relevant, useful and productive), but the body will still age, regardless of how well or poorly we approach the situation. So isn’t a lot of this beyond our control?
12. Why do we have such a poor attitude toward aging?
13. What is your personal experience with the new trend in aging?
14. "100 years” is quite a number. What is the derivation of this stunning figure?
15. What is “Sedentary Death Syndrome” (SEDS)?
16. What role does inactivity play in the popular conception of the aging process?
17. What are the unique health concerns that face the Baby Boom generation as they reach their 65 th birthdays?
18. How will baby Boomers be different as patients than their generational predecessors?
19. You say on your website, in relation to the unique concerns of the Baby Boom generation that “Health, not disease, should be celebrated.” What does this mean? Do you believe that the current generations of elderly patients “celebrate” infirmity? How so?
20. There are a number of recent studies documenting the rates of sexual activity – and in some cases, incidences of sexually transmitted diseases – among the elderly. Granted that much of this might have to do with the availability of drugs like Viagra and Cialis, but what can be expected in terms of one’s love life after 60?
21. Despite the number of different approaches, there does seem to be some sort of consensus on the part of medical authorities and pseudo-authorities when it comes to the importance of diet, exercise and sleep in health maintenance. Why does this message need keep getting hammered home? Why does it never seem to sink in?